Macaroni and cheese is the perfect comfort dish that is even tastier the next day — that's why we love when we have leftovers! The only problem? All too often the cheesy goodness we love turns into a congealed glob. So we tapped own First for Women test kitchen plus professional chefs to get their best reheating tips that makes the dish taste as delicious as it did the first time. Keep reading to learn how to reheat mac and cheese so you can treat yourself to creamy comfort whenever you want.
What mac and cheese is made of
Mac and cheese is a dish that's cooked either in the oven or stove using a combination of pasta, cheese, milk, heavy cream and/or butter. Variations of this dish often include a breadcrumb topping or ingredients like bacon or herbs stirred into coated pasta. No matter the preparation, mac and cheese is the quintessential dish to enjoy as a side or main meal.
The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese
As mac and cheese sits in the fridge, the cheese mixture sets — that turns this once-creamy dish solid. To make your mac and cheese velvety again, First for WomenFood EditorCharles Grayauskiesuggests combining it with a bit of milk. "Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese. After adding the dairy, you can begin reheating the pasta dish using your preferred method.
For best results: how to reheat mac and cheese in the oven
ChefClaudia Sidoti says the oven is the best method for reheating mac and cheese as it provides an even circulation of heat. Also, you can reheat a whole pan of mac and cheese for a crowd in about 30 minutes. Here, she explains how to reheat macaroni and cheese in the oven in six steps.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
With mac and cheese in a glass oven-proof dish, stir in 2 tbs. of milk per 1 cup of pasta. (Note: Skip this step if you're reheating mac and cheese with a breadcrumb topping.)
Bake until the mac and cheese is heated through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is starting to brown.
For a quick meal: how to reheat mac and cheese in the microwave
If you want to quickly heat up mac and cheese, then the microwave works to provide a speedy side or main. Lazarus Lynch, host of Food Network’s Comfort Nation and Chopped U, shares his method to reheat mac and cheese in the microwave.
Spoon mac and cheese into a microwave-safe bowl.
Stir in 2 Tbs. milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese.
Cover the mac and cheese with plastic wrap and poke a small hole at the top to release excess steam.
Heat the mac and cheese on medium power for 1 minute for a single 1-cup serving, or 90 seconds for a larger portion.
Stir. Then heat in 30 to 60-second intervals until it's heated through.
Enjoy.
A mac and cheese recipe worth reheating
Our test kitchen's Skillet Mac and Cheese cooks the comfort classic in a cast iron skillet before broiling it for a couple of minutes to brown and crisp up the top. Yum!
Skillet Mac ’n’ Cheese
So simple and deliciously creamy with two kinds of cheese, you’ll never go back to the box again.
Ingredients:
8 oz. elbow macaroni
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
Directions:
Active: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Yield: 6 servings
In pot, cook macaroni according to pkg. directions. Reserve½ cup cooking liquid; drain. Heat broiler. In large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour, mustard, salt and pepper to blend. Whisk in milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 minute.
Stir in 1⅔ cups cheddar, fontina and reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in macaroni until coated. Top with remaining cheddar. Broil until browned, 2 minutes.
For tips on reheating your leftover meals, take a look at these guides below:
"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.
"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.
Adding a tablespoon of milk for every cup of leftovers should suffice to maintain the dish's moisture, making it taste nearly as good as when it was fresh. When reheating, avoid stirring too much, as excessive stirring is a common mistake that ruins mac and cheese's texture.
Butter and flour: The combination of butter and flour thickens our creamy cheese sauce. You'll cook them together on the stove and then add the milk. The mixture thickens, and you can add your cheese.
For a cheese dip or sauce, the addition of cornstarch serves a similar function: Starch molecules absorb water and expand, not only thickening the liquid phase of the sauce, but also physically preventing the proteins from binding into long, tangled strands and the fats from separating out and pooling.
There are no limits to how many times you can safely reheat leftover home-cooked meals. However, best practice is to limit the number of times you do so. More often than not, you wouldn't need to reheat one type of dish more than once. If you are making meals in bulk, separate and store them in individual portions.
Dishes that have a lot of dairy aren't usually ideal as leftovers because the proteins and fats separate when reheated. In the case of mac and cheese, this often makes the dish mushy and tasteless. On the other hand, your mac and cheese could end up tasting dry and oily if it's reheated the wrong way.
Sauce too thick? Stir in a splash of milk and mix until the sauce has loosened up. (This is also a great trick for reheating mac and cheese - if you're microwaving leftovers and the sauce seems to have dried up, stir a splash of milk or half-and-half into the pasta to bring the sauce back to life!)
Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce.
To keep your mac and cheese creamy, avoid overcooking the cheese sauce and use a combination of cheeses known for their melting properties. Don't be tempted to add too much macaroni, as it will absorb the sauce and dry it out.
Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible. *If you'd like to add more creaminess and flavor, substitute half-and-half or cream. 3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Evaporated milk works as a heavy cream substitute that has the benefit of being shelf-stable. Keep a can in the pantry for a quick and easy swap. Simply replace the heavy cream in a recipe with evaporated milk using the same amount called for in your recipe.
But what's the best way to reheat it? As the mac and cheese sits in the fridge, it can lose some of its creaminess, and you have to be careful that you don't overheat the sauce, which will cause it to separate and leave behind an oily, grainy texture.
To fix a grainy cheese sauce, you can remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly, then whisk it vigorously. Adding a small amount of cold milk or cream can help restore its smooth texture.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Avoid adding cold pasta to a hot cheese sauce, as this can cause the sauce to solidify and the emulsion of the cheese to weaken. Instead, make sure to keep the pasta hot while preparing the cheese sauce and add it to the sauce while it's still warm.
It's also important to not undercook your pasta too much. You want the noodles to be al dente, but undercook them too much and they will not only absorb all the sauce, but take longer to bake, and that extra time in the oven will only dry out the macaroni and cheese further.
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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